Coconut Oil is AMAZING, But Only If You Buy the Right Kind: This is What to Look For

Coconut oil is one of the healthiest foods known to mankind, with whole books written on its health benefits. As a matter of fact, there are more than 1,500 studies confirming that coconut oil is indeed extremely healthy.

What makes this oil so special is its unique content; healthy fats called medium-chain fatty acids. These fats include lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid, all of which have been associated with a wide plethora of health benefits. Nearly 62 percent of the oils in coconut are made up of these fatty acids, and 91 percent of the fat is healthy saturated fat.

These fats are far superior to long-chain fatty acids, as they are easier to digest, possess anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties, aren’t stored as fat but converted as energy instead, and promote easier cell permeability for energy.

At this point, most people are familiar with coconut oil`s most famous health benefits, such as its ability to prevent heart disease and hypertension, treat Alzheimer`s disease, cure kidney infection and protect the liver, reduce inflammation, treat cancer, boost immunity, memory function and energy, improve digestion and skin conditions, promote weight loss, and many more.

However, not all coconut oil is created the same way, which means that you need the right kind in order to reap the benefits above. There are two major types of coconut oil: virgin and refined. Read on for more in-depth information regarding the things you need to know about coconut oil:

VIRGIN COCONUT OIL

Virgin coconut oil is made from fresh coconuts, it`s unrefined, certified organic and non-GMO, it has coconut oil and flavor, and it can be heated up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. During the preparation process, it`s scooped out of the shell and cold pressed afterwards, which leaves behind just the oil.

REFINED COCONUT OIL

Refined coconut oil is made from dried coconut milk, it`s refined, certified organic and non-GMO, it has neutral oil and flavor, and it can be heated up to 400 degrees. During the preparation process, it`s being steam refined in order to achieve the neutral flavor.

Which Coconut Oil Is Better For YOU?

Given that both have the same nutritional value; you can use both, depending on the flavor you prefer. Both have 63 percent medium chain fats, including 50 percent lauric acid.

How To Shop For Coconut Oil

When purchasing coconut oil, it is important to pay attention to a few characteristics.

First and foremost, make sure the product is certified organic and verified non-GMO.

Furthermore, confirm that the virgin coconut oil is cold-pressed, never bleached or deodorized, and made without hexane. As for refined coconut oil, confirm that it hasn’t been refined using chemicals and make sure it`s steam-refined, without any chemicals added.